How Can I Accessorize For Less?

Q. Irwin and Nicola, my budget doesn't allow me to spend a fortune on art and accessories. What are my options (Jim in Chicago, IL)

A. Most people are in your boat, Jim. The fact is, art and accessories often get short-changed in the overall decorating process. People spend much time, energy, and money to fix up the basic space architecturally. We call that "getting the bones" of the space just right. They pay to have their rooms professionally painted, or spend loads of DIY time with the freshening up. They spend time and money to buy the big, must-have pieces of furniture like a bed, desk, sofa, side chairs, and dining room set. But people tend to run out of gas before they cross the finish line!

Everyone should accessorize to finish their decorating. Don't quit and blame it on a tight budget. Be aware that art and accessories are an important final ingredient in the Great Look that you're going for. Now that you know it's an essential part of the design process, perhaps you can come up with a reasonable budget for these elements. It may not add up to a fortune, but give this design category some of your time and greenback energy.

Here's a sunroom in a designer showhouse that we decorated recently. We used many of the accessories and artwork that we had in storage to pull together a fresh mix. Many folks don't realize that they have great accessories already. You might have books, family heirlooms, attic treasures, and personal collection to add to your new decor. Edit what you have carefully so you go for uncluttered, whimsical, and visually interesting arrangements for tabletops, shelves, and other display areas.

Go to www.1stdibs.com to find mirrors, artwork, accessories, and occasional pieces to complete your look. This is an excellent resource that many professional designers love to use. Make it your powerful accessorizing secret!

Of course you can go onto www.eBay.com and participate in auctions for accessories. This is a great site for putting in specific types of items you're on the hunt for, like "dresser tray" or "Murano glass vase." You'll be able to use the powerful eBay resource to hunt down anything for your accessorizing.

Also explore offline resources like antique and used furniture stores, craft fairs, auctions, estate sales, and framing shops and art galleries. You're in no hurry when it comes to accessorizing, so your plan might be to do a little at a time and bring home some treasures over a number of scouting trips.

Jim, when it comes to art and accessories, be flexible. Don't get too hung up about what you have and where you place each item. Feel free to switch around the things you hang on the wall, for instance. Move items to other rooms, group them differently, give them a facelift with a fresh frame, or retire them and hang up something else more suited to your Taste of the Moment. Styles and tastes change all the time. Your decorating with art and accessories will evolve, too, so give in to it. It's easier to move these smaller items around, constantly editing and refreshing them, than it is to move around or get rid of large furnishings. Don't treat small decorative items like they're cemented in place for eternity!

Should Living Rooms Be Formal?

Q. How do we know how formal to make our living room, Irwin and Nicola? (Steve and Bobbi in Tuscon, Arizona)

A. Steve and Bobbi, this is a popular question. Forgive us for answering it with even more questions, but bear with us. There's a method to our madness.

Take our quick survey: Is your lifestyle formal or informal? Is your personal design style or preference formal or informal? Do you live in a buttoned-down neighborhood, city, town, or region? How formal is the architecture of your house? How many square feet do you have to play with in your house, and do you have the luxury to devote an entire room towards a more formal and traditional living room concept? How often do you entertain? Do you have a big family? Do you feel you want or need a formal living room because you grew up in a house with one, or do you admire the formal living rooms that your friends or other family members have? You can see where we're going with these questions. The answers will steer you in the right direction.

Here is a photo of a formal Long Island, NY interior designed by Irwin Weiner Interiors. The homeowners are avid art collectors. They wanted to display beautiful contemporary photographs in their living room. We went shopping with them in Paris and hit the flea markets and antique stores to find an eclectic mix of art deco furniture with clean lines that wouldn't fight with the art, but blend with the pieces in an interesting and edgy way. We gave the idea of a formal living room a big twist by combining great modern photography and artwork with more classical furnishings, rugs, lighting, and window treatments. This couple has a large home with a media room/den, a formal dining room, and an eat-in kitchen. The formality of their home's architecture, a large space that could be devoted entirely to a traditional living room arrangement, and their enjoyment of cocktail parties and frequent entertaining for large groups pointed the homeowners to the conclusion that a more formal living room space would be the ideal focal point for their home. Steve and Bobbi, this solution may be dead wrong for your home. You could have a big family, live in a casual desert locale, have a house short on usable space, and lead a more casual personal lifestyle. These elements would lead you to veto "formal" in favor of a mixed-use living room where everyone can relax, hang out, eat impromptu meals or snacks, watch television, and come together as a family or enjoy time with neighbors and friends. We hope our questions and explanations will help steer you in the right direction. Good luck!